Latest News on App Development, Website Development & 3D Virtual Tours

12 Must Have Apps for an Appy Xmas

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 10:53:59 GMT

The 12 'must have' Apps this Xmas

Make it an ‘Appy Christmas this year with these great Xmas App suggestions!

We love Apps - that’s why we spend our time designing and building them for small businesses. And so we thought it only right and proper that, in the run up to the festive season, we share with you some superb Christmas Apps that everyone should have on their mobile device.

So, here’s our top picks for 12 great Xmas Apps we know ‘yule’ love - all downloadable from the iOS and Android app stores…

PNP - Portable North Pole
Create and share magical personalised messages from Santa Claus while encouraging good behavior this holiday season - a favourite with children and grown-ups alike.
Available on iOS
Available on Android
The Christmas Gift List Manager
Want to stick to a budget this Christmas and manage what gifts you have bought for your family and friends? Then this is the app for you!
Available on iOS
Available on Android
Christmas Countdown
The Xmas app that keeps you updated on how many days, hours, minutes and seconds there are until Christmas 2021.
Available on iOS
Available on Android
The Harpenden Guide
Clearly we couldn't let this list pass without including the amazing local community app we have developed to support local people and businesses in Harpenden and the surrounding areas. :-)
Available on iOS
Available on Android
Santa Tracker
There are lots of these now but here’s a fun tracker that creates lots of excitement as it tracks the big man making his way around the world.
Available on iOS
Available on Android
GoFundMe
The GoFundMe app is your all-in-one place to create and manage your online fundraiser on the go. A great app for raising funds for your favourite charity or worthy cause!
Available on iOS
Available on Android
Christmas Sweeper 4
Candy Crush fans, get ready - Christmas Sweeper is in the house, and it’s like your favourite game, except with a Christmas twist. Hours of festive fun guaranteed!.
Available on iOS
Available on Android
Elf Yourself
The most popular app of the holiday season is back with great new dances and features. Create your own personalised videos with your face on dancing elves!
Available on iOS
Available on Android
Santa’s Secret Keeper
A festive, spoiler-free secret Santa app for creating a gift exchange and keeping the gift buyers secret so everyone can participate.
Available on iOS
Available on Android
How the Grinch Stole Xmas
The Dr. Seuss classic, ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas!’ comes to life with playful interactivity, delightful animations and fun activities!
Available on iOS
Available on Android
Virtual Fireplaces
Feel cosy this Xmas even if you don’t have your own fireplace! Guaranteed to bring a warm glow to your festivities!
Available on iOS
Available on Android
Amazon
Definitely the best shopping app and with Prime Delivery it’s an opportunity to grab those last minute gifts you’ve forgotten to buy!
Available on iOS
Available on Android

Happy Christmas from all of us at Big Buzz Solutions - Your Local App Experts.

Mistakes to Avoid When Building Your Business App

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 22:43:05 GMT

App-tastic! Eight Common Mistakes to Avoid When Building Your Business App

Stepping into the world of app development for your business?

It's an exciting journey, packed with potential.

But, just like any adventure, there are some pitfalls you'll want to sidestep. Whether you're about to embark on creating your very first app or you're revisiting the drawing board, avoiding common missteps can be the difference between an app that's merely 'okay' and one that's genuinely 'app-tastic'!

Let's dive in and uncover those sneaky little pitfalls:

1. Not Defining Your Target Audience:
Imagine setting sail without a destination! Before diving into the design and development, pinpoint who your app is for. Is it for tech-savvy millennials, busy parents, or avid gardeners? Knowing your audience ensures your app resonates and engages.

2. Overloading Features:
We get it. It's tempting to cram in every feature under the sun. But a cluttered app can be off-putting. Streamline functionalities. Prioritise what's crucial for your user's journey and what truly aligns with your business goals.

3. Skimping on User Experience (UX):
Your app could have the coolest features, but if it's not user-friendly, it might as well be in ancient hieroglyphics. Prioritise intuitive navigation, clear calls-to-action, and smooth transitions. Your users will thank you!

4. Forgetting About Different Devices:
Remember, not everyone's on the latest iPhone or high-end Android. Ensure your app looks spiffy and works seamlessly across various devices and screen sizes.

5. Ignoring Feedback:
Real-world feedback is gold! Before a full-scale launch, consider a soft launch or beta version. Listen to what real users have to say and tweak accordingly.

6. Neglecting Marketing and Launch Strategy:
Building an app is one thing; getting folks to download and use it is another. Start marketing before your launch. Get the buzz going, and have a clear strategy in place for launch day (and beyond!).

7. Assuming 'Build It and They Will Come':
Sad but true: a mere presence in the app store doesn't guarantee downloads. Regular updates, addressing user feedback, and continuous promotion are key to ensuring your app doesn't get lost in the vast digital sea.

8. Not Setting a Clear Budget:
Surprises are great for birthdays, not so much for app development. Understand the costs upfront, from development and testing to marketing and maintenance. A clear budget will keep things on track and prevent those unwanted financial hiccups.

Now, we know what you might be pondering: "Sounds great, but how do I sidestep all these pitfalls?"

Well, here's the thing. While the app development journey can be filled with challenges, partnering with the right team can make all the difference. No, this isn't a sales pitch – just a piece of candid advice! ��

The digital realm is an ever-evolving landscape. And while the idea of building an app for your business can seem daunting, with the right strategies and a dash of foresight, you can truly create something magical.

So, go forth, be app-tastic, and remember: every digital success story starts with a single click (or a tap!).

Happy app-venturing! ��

If you'd like to know more please feel free to contact us.

Why You Should Invest in a Mobile App for Your Business

Wed, 15 Jun 2022 16:39:41 GMT

5 reasons why you should create a business App...

The market is saturated with businesses looking to stand out from the crowd, but how can you make your business stand out?

Creating a mobile app for your business could be the answer you’re looking for.

With more than 4 billion smartphone users worldwide and an average time spent on apps of about 35 minutes per day, you should consider investing in a mobile app for your business. There are many benefits of creating a mobile app for your business, including making it easy to order food, book services, get exclusive deals and more.

Here are 5 reasons why you should invest in a mobile app for your business.

It’s a great way to stay connected to your audience.

Mobile apps allow you to provide your clients with real-time content, updates and push notifications. In addition, you can conduct polls and surveys as well as provide your clients with information about your products and/or services, which allows you to stay connected to your audience and address any questions or concerns they may have.

You can use it as a lead generation tool.

Mobile apps allow you to collect and capture data from your audience. This means you can use your mobile app as a lead generation tool for your business. You can collect data such as email addresses, phone numbers and other contact information. This allows you to follow up with your clients and send them information about new products or special offers.

Mobile apps are great for brand awareness.

Mobile apps are a great way to increase brand awareness. With an app, you can push information about your business directly to your customers, allowing them to learn more about your products and/or services. You can also use push notifications to provide exclusive deals and information.

A mobile app is an effective marketing tool.

A mobile app is an effective marketing tool because it is an opportunity for you to showcase your business in a creative and engaging way. With a mobile app, you have the ability to share your story, your vision and your products/services in a way that could possibly resonate with your audience in a new and different way.

It will help you gain customer loyalty.

Customers who download your mobile app are more likely to be loyal to your brand. This is because mobile apps give your customers exclusive access to certain things such as special discounts, offers and deals that can only be accessed via the app. This is a great opportunity for you to gain customer loyalty.

Conclusion

Creating a mobile app for your business is a great way to make it easy for your customers to access your business, see your products and/or services, and make purchases. A mobile app is something that can be used at any time and can be accessed anywhere. Mobile apps are beneficial for businesses of all sizes. Whether you have a large business or a small one, having your own mobile app can be extremely beneficial for you and your business.

If you'd like to know more please feel free to contact us.

A Chocolate Lovers Dream Customer...

Fri, 20 May 2022 15:23:44 GMT

This is our 'sweetest' customer to date...

Every now and then a new client comes along that you know you'll love working with... And this came true for us a few weeks back when we were approached by a new start-up business looking to launch a new website.

The Owners of Chocwork Ltd initially approached us for a quote to design, build and launch their new web site as part of a wider costing exercise. They were keen to get some comparative quotes and had approached four different web design companies for information.

By their own admission, neither of the Partners were particularly tech-focussed so they were looking for a solution that got them up and running quickly, did all the 'heavy lifting' for them and provided them with an easy-to-use interface to manage the site once it was up and running.

And we were delighted that they chose to work with us!

We were able to work with them to understand exactly what they needed the site to do and then created an initial beta version for them to help visualise this and bring their ideas to life. Once that had all been approved we then set to work to create the site, optimise it and launch it in time for their big launch date.

Anne Barnes, Co-Founder of Chocworks said... 'The team at Big Buzz Solutions were responsive, accurate, highly motivated, understood our business needs and translated that into a fabulous web site. We've had so many positive compliments about it and have, within days of going live, real leads. The updates are straightforward, tutorials easy to follow but in truth hardly needed. Would highly recommend Big Buzz Solutions, utterly professional but friendly'.

As 'chocoholics' ourselves, it was great to be able to work on creating a web site for such a fun business and the team at Chocwork were delighted with the results - their new chocolate website can be seen here - https://www.chocwork.co.uk .

And the best bit?

We've also been invited to their amazing launch event this weekend to enjoy the delights of creating and making some chocolates too.

What's not to love about that!

If you have a business (chocolate or otherwise!) and are looking to move fast in creating a new website please do get in touch - we guarantee it'll be a sweet success!

Chocwork Ltd is a unique provider of chocolate workshops based in Herts, Beds and Bucks. They are chocolate fanatics and love creating and delivering their unique range of chocolate workshops and events.

Their aim is to help you Have Fun, Make Chocolates and Develop Skills too and they officially launch their business this weekend! We wish them luck and are sure that their business will be a sweet success!

What Are the Best Apps for Small Businesses?

Thu, 20 Jan 2022 18:42:17 GMT

What are the Best Small Business Apps?

As a small business owner, your time is your most precious resource. Time literally is money so how do you go about maximising your productivity to help you keep moving your business forward? It's no surprise that helping small business owners has become a huge market place for App Developers to focus on. If there's an app out there to help you free up more time and be more productive then that's a great resource for helping you grow your business.

But with the Apple App Store listing 1.96 million apps and the Google Play Store listing 2.87 million apps how do you sort the 'wheat from the chaff' and focus on those mobile apps that will give you the greatest value?

Simple - read on and we'll help!

We've done the research and work for you to help identify the best mobile apps for small businesses so here's our selection of mobile apps we think you'll love as a small business owner.

Best Mobile Apps for accounting and finance
Xero, QuickBooks, FreshBooks, Dext, Expensify

Best Mobile Apps for inventory management
Inventory Clud, Stockroom Inventory, Sortly

Best Mobile Apps for POS and payments
Stripe, Square, PayPal Here, QuickBooks GoPayment

Best Mobile Apps for time tracking and team management

QuickBooks Time Tracking, Teamdeck, HotSchedules

Best Mobile Apps for communication

Slack, GoToMeeting, Skype

Best Mobile Apps for customer relationship management

HubSpot, Salesforce, Nimble

Best Mobile Apps for project management

Trello, Asana, Basecamp, Evernote

Clearly, mobile apps will continue to dominate the business world to help business owners be more productive and do alot of heavy lifting to help them be more productive.

If you'd like to find out more about how we can help your business develop your own app as part of your own digital marketing strategy then contact us and we'll be happy to help.

How can a Mobile App help my food business?

Tue, 18 Jan 2022 22:49:01 GMT

How Apps are transforming restaurants and food ordering businesses

It doesn’t matter if you are foodie, a restaurant owner, a delivery man or a mobile app developer - whoever you are there is an acceptance that mobile apps have changed the face of food ordering forever.

Long gone are the days of digging out the Yellow Pages to find contact numbers for local restaurants and then calling them up to reserve a table. Today's 'instant' society requires quick and easy solutions for the consumer to place orders, book tables, see menus and get reviews too. And so mobile apps will continue to dominate this space and those restaurants and food providers that ignore this do so at their peril.

Whatever your view on all things tech, you have to accept that mobile apps have revolutionalised and transformed the restaurant and food delivery industry.

One of the reports on Statista states that it is expected that the food delivery business will grow by 9.3% by 2023 and the biggest segment in the industry is Restaurant-to-Consumer delivery. And therein lies the huge opportunity for local businesses to leverage this in the months ahead.

As part of this, we were delighted to help one such small business with a unique food ordering mobile app that has literally transformed their business model and open up an exciting new market for them too.

Posh Nosh were historically in the contract catering business but, as a result of Covid, pivotted into the delivery market and launched an exciting new brand for their business called DeliDrop . At first, they didn't know where to start and initially felt that designing and creating such an app would be well out of their financial reach as a small business.

But they were wrong!

We worked with the team at DeliDrop to understand their exact requirements and then designed and built a unique food ordering app for them with a fully integrated food ordering system that quickly and easily enabled customers to book their lunch and get it delivered too.

From the customer's point of view, the app is quick and easy and from the business view they love the fact that they aren't having to pay the huge commission charges of global giants such as JustEat and Deliveroo. And they love the instant ordering that ensures that when someone places an order, it instantly prints out in their kitchen ready to be prepared and packed for delivery by their in-house drivers.

The mobile app has literally transformed the way they work and it's growing everyday.

You can find out more about how we helpd DeliDrop transform their business with our bespoke App Development Services .

And you'll be pleasantly surprised that the Prices for Mobile Apps easily enable the small, local business to enter the market without blowing their budgets out of the water too!

If you'd like to chat through what this entails and get our advice, input and ideas on a free consultation call please just contact us and we'll be happy to help.

Supporting Local Community Initiatives

Sun, 28 Nov 2021 19:18:22 GMT

Two great local initiatives we're supporting...

There are so many amazing local initiatives to promote local worthy causes and fly the flag for small businesses too so we always try to sponsor a number of these when we can. This year we were delighted to be able to support the following local community initiatives...

The Woo Hoo Awards - a superb evening to support and recognise local businesses that have achieved great things in the last 12 months. We were delighted to sponsor one of the Awards this year and support this important annual event on the local business community calendar.

St Albans Postboxes - each year a fabulous group of volunteers take time out of their busy schedules to add some festive fun to the postboxes of St Albans, Harpenden and the surrounding villages. This project started in 2018 and has generated huge interest locally and helped bring a smile to the faces of so many local people and raised thousands for local charities. This year we were delighted to support the 'postbox toppers' campaign by sponsoring a couple of boxes and giving a helping hand too setting up and keeping an eye on the toppers in our area too. A fabulous local initiative that brightens up the day of local people throughout the festive period!

Creating Award Winning Apps...

Sat, 09 Oct 2021 09:32:09 GMT

We're creating Award Winning Apps

Nothing gives us greater pleasure than knowing what we are doing is making a difference. Playing a part within our local community to 'put something back' is an important part of our family and business.

As such, we were delighted to receive news that The Harpenden Guide - the community app we designed and built to help support our local community has been shortlised for an Award - The 'Positive Impact' Award - at this year's Hertfordshire Business Awards .

When we launched the App at the height of the Covid lockdowns earlier this year, we wanted to create something that helped local people and supported local businesses. It felt timely as part of our annual commitment to put something back into our local community.

After sounding out a few people we took the plunge and in January 2021, The Harpenden Guide was launched as a free Community App to help local people and to support local businesses.

Little did we know at the time that in less than 6 months, nearly 3,000 local people would be regularly using the App on their mobile devices to keep up-to-date with local news, community information and updates.

And that's continuing to grow every day.

Everything from 'What's On' and 'Covid Updates' to providing a directory of local businesees to help them promote themselves to local people.

And now The Harpenden Guide Community App has been shortlisted as a Finalist for the 'Positive Impact' Award - WOW!

There's nothing more rewarding than 'giving back' and helping to make a difference in the lives of others and we hope that the small contribution we have made to our local community spurs others on to do the same.

Of course, we're over the moon that 'The Harpenden Guide' Community App has been recognised in this way and hope that the App goes all the way and wins the Award but, more importantly, continues to keep making a positive impact on our local community.

Keep everything crossed for us at the Awards Ceremony on 28th October when the winners will be announced!

Do Personal Trainers need a web site?

Sun, 28 Mar 2021 20:50:48 GMT

Five Reasons why Personal Trainers need to be online...

I had an interesting conversation this week with a friend who had just returned from a coaching sesssion with his Personal Trainer. I was telling him that we'd just completed a web site build for a local Personal Trainer and he asked 'why does a Personal Trainer need a website?' His view was that all their work generally comes from referrals so why would they need the added expense of creating a web site too?

To be honest, I was quite surprised by his response. I honestly thought that anyone in today's world would recognise that any business (no matter what industry) needs a web presence. It's not just about getting more customers through the door, it's also about so many other things such as building a brand, being instantly available for people to find out more anytime of the day or night, building credibility and expanding its reach.

Having a web presence really is so much more than just about getting new leads for clients. It doesn’t need to be complex or extravagant, but in today’s growing online world, a web presence for personal trainers is absolutely critical. And if you’re thinking that your Facebook page will cut it, you are sadly mistaken.

Bill Gates, Founder of Microsoft, really wasn't joking when he said 'if your business is not on the internet then you will be out of business'.

So, here's our top five reasons why every personal trainer needs a website.

Increased sales leads and enquiries - yes, in some industries alot of clients will be generated by word of mouth (as my friend suggested) but once someone has told a friend about a personal trainer, people will want to find out more. A website acts as a brochure to provide people with more details and encourages them to reach out to you to make an enquiry.
Build credibility - websites for personal trainers provide them with a 'shop window' that helps to build credibility. It gives potential customers a way of finding our more about you, your personal training credentials and gives you a shop window from which to build trust and rapport with interested people.
Widen your reach - Without a website for your personal training business, you audience is only as large as the people you know and their immediate networks. By building a website for your fitness coaching business you are setting yourself up to reach anybody at anytime. And once you have your site up and running you can easily start driving targetted traffic to your site via online adverts and growing your organic search engine optimisation too.
Marketing that never sleeps - A coaching website is like a having a salesperson that knows everything about your business and never sleeps! Your website is working for you 24/7. Whilst personal referrals are great, just think how good it would be too if people looking for a personal coach could reach out to you directly rather, at anytime, than waiting to be referred onto you. Having a strong web presence will do just that and provide you with a marketing resource that never sleeps.
Because every thing starts with Google - these days everything starts with Google. So if you seriously want to let people know your personal training business is open for business you need to be online. If you're not then you will absolutely be left behind and find your competitors gaining real market advantage. It really is as simple as that!

So, in answer to our questions 'Do Personal Trainers need a website. YES - if you're not online with a strong web presence you will, as Bill Gates suggests, be out of business faster than you think!

If you'd like any advice or simply would like to chat to understand how you can make the most of a website for your Personal Training business please contact us and we'll be happy to help.

Why Apps are thriving right now

Fri, 12 Mar 2021 14:47:43 GMT

App usage soars during the global pandemic

As we start pulling out of the worst of the global pandemic here in the UK it's been interesting to watch the surge in use of Apps during the last year.

Research conducted by the analytics firm, App Annie confirms this is certainly the case for smartphone users, with the average person now spending more than three hours each day on apps.

Clearly this is great news if you’re in the process of getting an app designed for your business!

Google agrees and says that apps are now a vital part of modern businesses and provide an important means of delighting customers.

'We know that apps allow businesses to deliver smoother, faster and more personalised user experiences. In this unprecedented year, apps have also become a crucial platform that brands can use to pivot quickly and respond to changing market dynamics.' was the officail line from a Google Spokesperson recently.

Well here's three reasons why we believe mobile app development services are thriving right now and why there’s never been a better time to jump in with your own app.

1. They can be used to meet customer needs

Whether it’s a desire to go paperless or to avoid standing in queues, a business app can be used to exactly meet customer needs, as and when their behaviours and requirements change. We have seen this happen many times through the course of the pandemic, with the growth in time spent on apps reflective of how well received this agility is.

2. They can quickly fill service gaps

With many physical locations forced to close their doors, digital experiences and services have been a lifeline for brands and consumers alike over the last 12 months. A mobile app is an agile tool which can quickly be deployed to fill gaps left by store closures.

Your app could allow customers to easily place orders for click and collect for example, where in-store shopping is no longer available. It can be used to reserve deliveries, for those unable or unwilling to opt for click and collect, provide a means of interacting with customer service reps to source product information or used to manage an account digitally rather than face-to-face.

3. They offer a safe environment for customers

Even when the world returns to normal, research suggests that not all consumers feel comfortable with the thought of shopping in bricks and mortar stores or returning to face-to-face contact. A mobile app is an ideal tool for creating a safe digital environment to connect with and communicate with consumers. This could be as simple as including a video chat or text chat function, allowing your customer service reps to interact with customers in a way that suits their needs and preferences.

How Covid has increased the need for mobile solutions

peter@peterbarker.net (Peter Barker) — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 15:19:51 GMT

A new world needs new solutions...

Clearly, the world is different now... In less than 12 months our lives have changed forever and 2020 will go down in the history books as the year when things changed for us all.

And whilst this challenging time has brought so many negatives things for us all, there are many positives too. Vaccines that would have historically taken 5-10 years to bring to market have been produced in record times. Community spirit and looking out for others has boomed and business resilience has proved, for many, that new opportunities can flourish in adverse time.

And the market for 'mobile solutions' is no exception and has also seen an explosion too as lockdowns and social distancing has forced people online to use technology in areas where they'd never have considered this in the past.

Let's take the example of two small businesses that we have worked with over the last few months. One is a pub, the other a corporate caterer. Both running successful businesses pre-Covid that obviously relied on bringing people together. And so when lockdowns started, their businesses were clearly at risk.

But what has been refreshing about both is that they quickly pivoted their thinking to see how they could utilise technology to address some of the challenges they were facing. Both quickly realised that leveraging technology and providing Smartphone App solutions for their customers could be the answer. And in no time at all both were making sales by providing customers with an App where they could order food and drink for takeaway and delivery.

And that has been happening the world over and become the new 'normal' in so many businesses who are now leveraging technology and mobile solutions to further their businesses. And in many cases it's the the key factor that has saved their skin and ensured their business remains viable in these challenging times.

And so what is our answer when people ask us 'has Covid increased the need for mobile solutions'? Of course, the answer is a big fat, 100% YES! And therein lies the opportunity for so many providers of tech solutions too.

Make no mistake, mobile solutions are going to continue to see exponential growth over the next 12 months too and if your business is not already onboard (or looking to get on-board) you will clearly miss the boat. Making mobile solutions central to your business strategy will provide you with the biggest opportunity for your business to grow this year.

And if you don't?

Then my prediction is that your competitors will steam past you and leave you treading water wishing that you'd jumped aboard and not missed the 'mobile solutions' boat that is sailing off into the sunset without you!

How to halve the costs on your food ordering apps

Sun, 10 Jan 2021 00:44:33 GMT

Never pay commission on your food orders again...

As we are now in the grips of another national lockdown, most people are once again turning to food delivery services to keep them going. The opportunity for local restaurants, takeaways and food delivery services to massively grow their local market share has never been greater.

But with commission, service charges and admin fees on many mainstream food ordering systems escalating, many business and customers are becoming increasingly frustrated that something in the region of 14% and above often goes to the app provider.

Well that doesn't need to be the case...

And that's why we've launched our 100% commission free food ordering app development system. It's a great solution for local food and hospitality businesses that are looking to see more of the money from their orders end up in their pocket.

Now is the time to take back control and save money by launching your own COVID ready, 100% commission free food ordering app and system enabling you to quickly and easily offer food via click-and-collect, pre-ordering and table service too.

Just take a look at the chart below to see how you could create your own unique food ordering app and halve the costs you're likely to be paying for other mainstream apps.

You can find out more on our food ordering app builder system by clicking here...

Or simply Contact Us to find out how we could save your business money and provide you with your own unique App and food ordering system.

Do Apps Work for small businesses?

peter@peterbarker.net (Peter Barker) — Sat, 07 Nov 2020 00:06:17 GMT

Understanding if a mobile app is right for your business...

With our world becoming increasingly online, and with the Smart Phone market set to continue to enjoy huge growth, it's easy to get caught up in the thinking that every business needs a mobile app.

Too many business owners believe their business needs an app but when questioned as to why they think they need one, they stumble and aren't really clear on why. For many it's simply about giving them a warm feeling of being at the cutting edge of the latest trends, but can an app really work for your business and, more importantly, can a mobile app generate significant returns for you?

Well my friends, whilst it's true to say that apps can work really well for most small and medium sized businesses, they aren't necessarily right for all businesses so let's take a step back before we get caught up in the temptation of the tech to firstly ask ourselves some important questions to help understand whether your business will benefit from a mobile app.

If you can answer 'yes' to the following questions, then it's likely that a mobile app will work well for your business. If you answer with more 'no's', or 'not sure's' then creating a mobile app for your business may not be the right move at this point in time.

1. Would your business benefit from being able to reach out to your customers 24/7?

Okay, so that's a bit of a no brainer for most but some businesses may not necessarily benefit from this level of communication. For example, I'm not too sure whether many Undertakers really need the ability to contact their customers 24/7!! So, if you think this would help your business then it's a 'yes' for this question.

2. Do you have loyalty schemes, discounts and offers that you'd like to promote?

With competition becoming fiercer and many businesses looking for creative ways to keep their customers loyal, many are now offering unique loyalty schemes, discount and promotions for old and new customers alike. If your business is using this or would benefit from these initiatives then an App is worth considering.

3. Is 2-way communication with your customers important for your business?

If keeping the communication channels open for two way comms between you and your customers is important to you then an app can help. So many apps can provide customers with the opportunity for instant feedback, links out to social media and chat features too. And having the ability to use 'push notifications' in apps is way up there in terms of effective communications with clients. P ush provider Xtify revealed that 30 to 60 percent of users open push notifications and about 40 percent interact with the app immediately following the notification as opposed to about 20 percent of emails being opened by the recipient with only about 5.4 percent of people click on a link within that email.

4. Would it be helpful to position your business as an expert in your market?

Again, this will be different for different businesses. For example, if you’re a personal trainer, clearly positioning yourself as the 'go to' for health, fitness and well-being is important and an app can help you build a community of loyal fans around your brand.

I'm sure you'll also come up with your own questions too when considering whether an app is right for your business but it is important to take time to ask these and other questions before you set about building an app for your business, Of course, what an app costs for your business will also come into the equation and be important too.

Clearly, Mobile Apps can increase your visibility and provide businesses with the opportunity to only ever be an arm's length away from their customers. But take the time to understand if it's the right route for you and if it is, they can be a constant reminder that you are there and open for business.

If you'd like any further details or simply like to have a chat to get some advice please do not hesitate to contact us .

Can an App help me make more sales?

peter@peterbarker.net (Peter Barker) — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 20:39:59 GMT

People are now buying 20% more through Apps according to Google...

As the world continues to adapt and create more virtual solutions for all areas of life, it's important that businesses learn to adapt as well. Adapting to change and staying relevant should be at the heart of any business looking to develop and grow.

And so it was interesting to see what Google had to say on the matter when we were asked the following question recently by a customer...

'Can an App really help me drive more sales'?

Well, interestingly enough, according to Google's recent research retail apps can have a significant impact for businesses and organisations looking to sell more.

According to Google's research, consumers have been spending as much as 20% more via apps as the Covid-19 pandemic continues unabated. And therein lies a massive opportunity for any business and the answer to our client's question.. a big fat YES!

As app usage continues to grow, and almost a third of consumers state that they don't anticipate returning to their normal shopping habits, it's no big surprise that the amount of sales generated via Apps is set to explode too. And Google suggests that this shift in consumer behaviour makes it more important than ever for businesses to embrace Apps as a must-have for any modern retailer.

And adding an App to your traditional sales channels is easier than most people think.

Five ways you can make an app work for your business

Take a look at our top five ways in which you can make an app really work for your business...

1. Sell your wares via your App

Integrating e-commerce to apps is not as complicated as people think and there are now a number of ways to do this. Whether it's just linking your app to an existing e-commerce site or building it natively into the app, providing customers with a convenient and easy way to access your store and purchase from you is vital. And apps mean you're never more than an arm's length away from your customers too!

2. Utilise Push Notifications

Apps have one huge advantage when it comes to being able to connect instantly with your customers - push notifications.

We've all seen them ping up on our phones and the open rate for these is huge. Very few people can resist the urge to look at a notification when it pings on their phone and that's an incredibly powerful option for promoting your business.

3. Make your customer service instant and world class

Being fore-warned is forearmed and using your app to provide people with an instant way of connecting back with you to answer questions, provide great customer service and even deal with complaints is vital in this multi-media age. Apps can provide you with a much quicker and streamlined way to interact with clients and to delight the time-poor shopper.

Google suggests that app with customer service features won’t just elevate customer satisfaction levels and improve customer service offering but also provide a better understanding of how customers behave too.

4. Increase your order efficiency

Even for those stores that are remaining open during the pandemic, shopper numbers are likely to be down with increased measures in place due to social distancing and limitations on numbers allowed in-store.

Your business app can help here too. Using it to facilitate in-app sales and provide contactless payment in store too or by starting a click and collect option can speed up transactions and allow your team to handle orders more efficiently.

5. Use it to deliver helpful tools

Apps provide you with great features to fit your specific business. Whether it's helping people book appointments, sharing your social media channels, providing loyalty schemes or simply helping people keep in touch, the huge array of features and tools at your disposal make fitting an app to your business quick and easy.

The list is endless when it comes to how helpful your app can be to shoppers. And, the more useful features you can incorporate, the more loyal your customers are likely to be.

Google describes this as a win-win, saying “Whether it’s the ability to receive instant stock updates or get immediate assistance through your app, building features that help consumers will drive efficiencies across the business. And this will in turn grow your profit margins — even when there are safety and social distancing restrictions in place.”

Ready to get your own business app designed? Get in touch with us now.

Five reasons your Gym needs a 3D Virtual Tour

peter@peterbarker.net (Peter Barker) — Thu, 29 Oct 2020 00:10:18 GMT

How a 3D virtual tour can help boost sales at your gym

As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to impact us all, it is becoming increasingly important for gyms to be able to showcase their premises and demonstrate that they are operating in a safe and appropriate manner. Trying to explain how you are meeting social distancing measures, sanitising equipment and explaining to users the measures you are taking is a real dilemma.

That's where 3D Virtual Tours can make a real difference for your gym or health club as you can create a truly immersive experience that allows you to give people a tour of your premises that's as good as walking around on-site.

So here's 5 great reasons why a virtual tour can be a great addition to your club...

1. A chance to increase confidence and trust in your gym

A 3D virtual tour for your gym can increase the confidence and trust customers place on your business. Being able to walk around the facilities to familiarise themselves before they've even stepped through the door can be a huge positive for you. Add into that the ability to demonstrate the measures you've taken to support social distancing with information points and embedded videos or web pages too and you have a resource that helps inspire confidence and trust in your gym.

2. Stand out from the crowd

Adding 3D virtual tours to your online marketing will help you stand out from the crowd in a busy marketplace. In addition, virtual tours get over five million visits a day because they spark interest and are an important component of the decision-making process for customers. Naturally, people spend 5-10X longer on websites with an embedded virtual tour than those without.

3. Supercharge your marketing

Most gyms have fairly simple and similar marketing material. A virtual tour will massively enhance this and allow you to take your marketing to a new level. This could be as simple as embedding your tour on your website to incorporating links into interactive emails and brochures that will allow people to enjoy a completely immersive walk around your premises. Being able to stand out in peoples' busy inboxes with something different and unique is key to getting noticed in this busy virtual world.

4. Integrate with Google Maps

3D tours can be integrated into Google Street view and maps which means that people who are new to the area or searching online for local gyms are much more likely to find your business. A dding a virtual tour to your listing will pique interest, and allow users to get a really great sense of what your gym has to offer members.

5. Boost sales with a virtual tour

Ultimately, a virtual tour will boost sales. Most people like to get a feel for the facilities and what your gym can offer before setting foot in the door but organising show arounds to fit around busy schedules can prove difficult. Providing them with a virtual tour of the gym that allows them to look around at a time that suits them from the comfort of their own home can really have a positive impact on sales.

So, clearly there are some real advantages of using a 3D virtual tour to help promote your gym or health club. If you'd like to find out more about our virtual tour services then just contact us and we'll be happy to provide you with more information and a quote.

Innovative ways to showcase your business

peter@peterbarker.net (Peter Barker) — Tue, 27 Oct 2020 12:20:15 GMT

How a co-working office space is using a 3D Virtual Tour to showcase their business

As more and more businesses are looking for innovative ways to showcase their spaces without the need for physical interaction, we are seeing a real uplift in enquiries from people looking for creative ways to market their business. As such, our unique 3D Virtual Tours are proving to be a big hit with businesses of all shapes and sizes.

And whilst we've been dashing around the UK and Europe in the last few weeks, it's always nice to be back on our 'home patch' to work more locally so we were delighted to work with BubbleHub this week - the funky co-working office space in St Albans! And it's event better when we receive a glowing testimonial too.

Here's what Co-Founder of BubbleHub Harry Dougall had to say about their 3D Virtual Tour...

“We were recommended Immersive Walkthroughs and Big Buzz Solutions and I’m very glad we were! Once they had showcased what they could do, the rest was pretty easy and quick. Within a matter of days we had a 3D tour of our space which we are absolutely delighted with. Given the situation at the moment with less physical interaction and the need to walk through a space without leaving your home, this provides a great marketing tool and great customer experience. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the team.”

You can view the unique 3D Virtual Tour for BubbleHub by clicking here...

https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=PtAe6Rbx5qY

Benefits of Progressive Web Apps and Native Apps

Sat, 17 Oct 2020 17:52:54 GMT

What's the difference between a Progressive Web App and a Native Web App?

For most people an ‘App is an App’. But many people don’t know (or need to know) that there are different options, from web apps to native apps that you can look at when deciding to create an app solution for your business. For the purpose of this article, we’re going to look at the differences between the two main types of apps - ‘Progressive Web Apps’ or a ‘Native Apps’.

What is a Progressive Web App?

Progressive Web Apps use modern web capabilities to deliver a cross-platform app-like user experience. They evolve from pages in browser tabs to immersive, top-level apps, maintaining the web's low friction at every moment. A Progressive Web App is a good entry level app since it generally allows you to save time and money as it uses web technology (as opposed to dedicated iOS or Android programming) and is designed to work across iOS and Android platforms.

What are the benefits of Progressive Web Apps?

PWA development is cheaper and they can be built faster than native apps
You don’t have to go through the process of publishing them to the App stores
PWAs are responsive and work with many different screen sizes
PWAs are smooth and lightweight and don’t take up memory on the device
You don’t have to pay sums of money to Google and Apple
They work in low data situations, unlike your regular site
Progressive Web Apps are discoverable via search engines

What is a ‘Native’ App?

Native apps are platform-specific applications that have been built for specific software, coded in a particular programming language. This means that if the app is for an Android platform, it will use Java; if it is for a Windows phone, it will use C#; and if it is for iOS, it will use Objective C or Swift. This allows the app to optimally function and utilise all the native features of a mobile device while making use of that system’s tools and frameworks.

What are the benefits of Native Apps?

Native apps have the best performance as they are optimised for the software
Native apps are generally more secure
App Store visibility on iOS App Store and Google Play Store
Native apps are faster than PWA apps
Native apps offer more interactivity and are generally more intuitive
Native mobile apps offer better performance offline or when in low data situations
Battery consumption with native apps is usually better

How much does it cost to build an App for my business?

Wed, 07 Oct 2020 22:45:08 GMT

How much does it cost to build an App for my business?

It's the 'million dollar question' (although it shouldn't cost that much!) and the thing we get asked more than anything else!

So, we'll do our best here to provide you with a transparent and honest overview outlining the costs, things that will influence that and some of the things that you're likely to face when looking to build an App for your business.

First things first, there are two routes you can take when developing an app and you need to firstly decide which route to take...

Route One - 100% bespoke build - where you start from scratch and work with a team of designers and developers to wireframe ideas, develop user experience (UX) and build from the ground up. This offers premium customisation that is likely to only be within the reach of larger companies or those with substantial budgets circa £20k+.
Route Two - templated build - where you start with a more standardised template that does a lot of the initial 'heavy lifting' and provides you with a range of typical features that fit most scenarios. This reduces the development costs, enables you to move faster and is generally a more suitable option for small to medium sized businesses.

For the purposes of this article we have assumed most people will be looking at 'Route Two' so we have also assumed the following too...

You are...

A small to medium sized business
Looking to build an App to help promote and market your business
Keen to find a solution to help you communicate with your customers quickly and easily.
Looking for an App that will work on both iOS and Android devices

You are not...

A big business looking for a 100% custom-built app that starts with a completely blank page
Looking to have to remortgage your house to create an app for your business

Progressive Web App vs Native App

Okay so you're heading down 'Route Two' and going for a templated app build. The next thing to consider is what type of app you need. To the uninitiated, there are basically two types of apps you can look at - Progressive Web Apps or Native Apps - the article here outlines some of the differences between the two.

Assuming you've taken a quick look at the article above outlining some of the differences, you'll now have a clearer idea on what type of app you need. If you haven't clicked the link above, then here's a reminder of the benefits of each...

Benefits of Progressive Web Apps

You don’t have to go through the process of submitting them for approval to app stores
They are often cheaper and faster to build
No need to hand off big chunks of money to Google and Apple
They are discoverable via search engines
Installing a PWA can lead to higher engagement

Benefits of Native Apps

Great visibility as they appear on the official App Stores
Faster and more responsive since they use native features of the phone
Native apps can fully utilise Push notifications
Apps are more intuitive and can use more features
Often seen as 'more credible' than PWA's

So, what's the cost of a Progressive Web App or Native App?

Progressive Web Apps - start from around £1k upwards depending on features required

Due to the fact that PWA's (Progressive Web Apps) are built from the web technologies, they can be created reasonably cheaply and quickly. There's a whole range of App Development Companies who have access to and license tech platforms that enable them to build apps quickly and for a reasonable cost too.

Most Mobile App Developers will charge a 'Design and Build' fee to cover the cost of scoping out the app with you and understanding what type of features you require. Once they have got a clear specification you are happy with they will start the 'build phase'. This will involve them building a draft of your app for you to review and sign off. Once it's all been approved they will then launch the app and it's then over to you.

Timescales from initial meeting and depending on the complexity of the app brief can be 4-6 weeks.

Most companies then charge a hosting and maintenance fee (monthly or annual) to maintain the app, make tweaks and be available to support you too once the app is live. This again varies depending on the service provided but ranges from £50 a month to £200 a month.

Native Apps - start from around £2k upwards depending on features required

As mentioned, native apps are a little more complex and, as such, a little more expensive to develop. Native Apps install onto a device from the respective App Stores - iOS App Store or Android Google Play store and they are often more responsive and faster than PWA's

As for the PWA apps, most Mobile App Developers will charge a 'Design and Build' fee to cover the cost of scoping out the app with you and understanding what type of features you require. Once they have got a clear specification you are happy with they will start the 'build phase'. This will involve them building a draft of your app for you to review and sign off. Once it's all been approved they will then launch the app and it's then over to you.

Timescales from initial meeting and depending on the complexity of the app brief can be 6-8 weeks.

Whatever road you choose to go down - Progressive Web App or Native App - creating an App for your business is more straightforward than you might think and is an important part of your mobile marketing.

Research now shows that people in the UK now check their smartphones, on average, every 12 minutes of the waking day. Two in five adults (40%) first look at their phone within five minutes of waking up, climbing to 65% of those aged under 35. Similarly, 37% of adults check their phones five minutes before lights out, again rising to 60% of under-35s. (Source: Ofcom).

So take a moment to think just how powerful that is for your business... And if you'd like some more details on our Mobile App Development Services then feel free to contact us for a chat and we'll be happy to provide you with some further insight and advice.

We're only happy when you're delighted...

Mon, 05 Oct 2020 20:06:12 GMT

We're loving these recent reviews for work we've completed for clients...

Here at Big Buzz Solutions we're on a mission.

A mission to ensure that all our customers get a superb 5* Service and become our 'Raving Fans'.

That's why we always aim to go the extra mile to ensure that you are not just happy... but delighted!

And so we were delighted to receive these recent reviews for work we've completed for clients.

8 Questions to ask when hiring a Mobile App Developer

Tue, 08 Sep 2020 22:37:44 GMT

8 Questions to ask when hiring a Mobile App Developer

If your company is starting out on its mobile app journey then it's really important that you take time to ask the right questions to the companies you are talking too. Spending some time doing some initial 'due diligence' to ensure you are 100% happy with the choices you are making when choosing an app developer is vital.

So many people get these first simple steps wrong and end up being blind-sided by technical talk when there's some key fundamentals to ask first to ensure you are happy with the company you are talking to.

So, here's our top 8 questions to ask when hiring a Mobile App Developer to provide you with mobile app development services ...

1. Can you provide me with some links to Apps you've built?

2. Are you happy for me to contact other clients you've built apps for?

3. What type of apps do you build - Progressive Web App or Native?

4. How long will it take and how will you communicate with me?

5. Do you develop the app in-house or outsource the work?

6. How many features can I include?

7. What support do you provide and how do I manage the app after it is launched?

8. What's the total cost and payment terms?

As mentioned, asking these questions before you get into the realms of designing, building and launching an app will really help ensure that any company you choose is a good fit for you when developing your business app.

If you'd like any further details on our web app development services or simply just want to get some advice we'll be happy to help so contact us...

What you can measure you can mange

Mon, 07 Sep 2020 22:46:57 GMT

What you can measure you can manage

It's been another busy week here at Big Buzz Solutions and we've been working on some interesting projects.

In addition to launching a new iOS and Android App for a Catering Company and completing some 3D Virtual Tours for holiday homes in Spain, we've also just had the first full monthly stats for one of the new websites we've recently launched too for a small start-up business.

And what's great is that it's seen a 36.04% increase in visits to the site and 65.49 increase in page views too.

Now whilst the numbers are still small at this point, the growth is really pleasing and it reiterates the importance of measuring these stats each month so you can see what progress is being made. It's so true that 'what you measure you can manage' and we'll be monitoring this and keeping an eye on this site over the coming weeks to help keep things moving in the right direction.

We see so many people publish their website and then pretty much forget about it and then wonder why it's not working for them. Websites need to be living and breathing assets for your business so maintaining a close eye and reviewing your site regularly and working to grow it's credibility and ranking should be a regular focus.

And whilst our recent site is starting to move in the right direction I know that the business will be actively reviewing things and monitoring the stats each month like clock work so they can make informed choices that have a direct impact on the site's continued growth and development.

Don't ever forget that point... If you can 'measure it' then you can 'manage it' - and that's something you should absolutely be doing to ensure your site's continued success.

How 3D Virtual Tours are helping Nursery Schools

peter@peterbarker.net (Peter Barker) — Sat, 22 Aug 2020 21:27:48 GMT

3D Virtual Tours - redefining Nursery and Pre-School Marketing

As Covi-19 continues to have huge a impact across a wide range of industries, we've been supporting nurseries and pre-schools throughout the UK by providing 3D Virtual Tours to allow them to undertake 'virtual show arounds' for parents.

And they are proving a big hit...

You can find out more about how these are having an impact and how our sister company - Immersive Walkthroughs - is helping nurseries too with a unique 'Business Bounceback Offer' to help support them during these challenging times.

You can find out more here...

The importance of App Analytics

Sat, 06 Jun 2020 16:11:43 GMT

The old adage of 'what you can measure, you can manage' has never been more true and gaining insight into the analytics from your App is key. Knowing how many people are downloading it, which are the most popular features and how much traffic is using it is crucial to growing your app in your business.

And as part of managing your app you will have access to the business manager app - Skipper.

This will provide you with a quick and convenient way to manage key areas of your app from your mobile device without the need to login to the main app building portal.

You can get further details from the following website http://www.skipperapp.io/ - but this will become an important tool for managing your app on a day to day basis going forward.

Click the video to see the tutorial.

Password is... letmein

8 'must have' features to include in a Gym App

Sun, 24 May 2020 22:57:30 GMT

Health Clubs and Gyms are constantly looking for ways to reach out to and keep in touch with their customers. But understanding exactly what features to include in an app can be a real challenge. So here's 8 'must-have' features we believe a great Gym or Health Club App must include to ensure they are fighting fit...

1. Bookings – Let your customers come back for more by allowing them to make bookings and pay for services through their mobile phone.

2. Mobile Shop – Our apps have full integrated and functional mobile shopping carts, allowing you to display your products for your customer’s viewing pleasure. Your customers can then purchase your products and services through your app, enhancing your bottom line with an integrated mobile shop.

3. Loyalty – All of your customers love a bargain! An effective and easy way to encourage repeat custom is to incentivise your loyalty scheme. This can be done by offering QR coupons and loyalty tabs, your customers can redeem these vouchers easily and quickly after each order.

4. Gallery – Add pictures or integrate your Flickr or Picassa gallery letting your customers view your services and premises. You can also let your customers upload their photos, sharing their experiences with other customers.

5. Social Network – Enhancing your social media presence can help to increase your Facebook likes and Twitter followers by integrating your social media pages and let your customers help make your business viral.

6. Push Notifications – Sending out free push notifications to all your customers that have downloaded the app is quick and easy, not to mention cheaper than text message marketing. Send out updates, promotions and offers via push notifications and keep your business top of mind with your customers. You will be able to publicise your message to your clients and unlike an email, push notifications automatically appear on your client’s phone.

7. Fans – Let your customers become your fans by integrating a Fan Wall with social sharing features and build your testimonials. This can help your customers to share their experience with other customers and help to build your referral base.

8. Location – Allow your customers to locate your business via GPS and give them turn by turn directions to your Health Spa or Gym.

Apps for health clubs or gyms can be a seriously powerful tool to keep customers engaged and ensure that your businesses stays fit too!

Promoting your App on social media

Sun, 24 May 2020 15:44:40 GMT

Social Media channels are are great way to promote your app to get people downloading them. You can get really creative with ideas to incentivise downloads, from free giveaways to prizes as part of an app competition.

We've added some examples below of how businesses are promoting their apps on social media.

The aim is to give you a few ideas as to the sorts of posts, updates and adverts you could be creating to promote downloads of your app.

Here's a few examples...

Facebook

Some examples of Facebook adverts to promote app downloads...

Twitter

Some examples of Twitter adverts to promote app downloads...

Downloading the App to your mobile device

Thu, 30 Apr 2020 19:26:42 GMT

The screen grabs and video tutorials below provide details on how to scan a QR code or use a web link to add a PWA app to the homescreen on your device.

Progressive Web Apps can quickly and easily be downloaded to your mobile device. They are seeing a huge surge in popularity providing users with a quick and easy way to access Apps on their mobile device. For Native apps the QR code will simply re-direct the user to the Google Play or iOS store when scanned.

Watch the video to see how to add your app to the home screen when scanning a QR code or using a web link. The screen grabs below also highlight this process.

Click the video to see the tutorial. Password is... letmein

Adding to an iOS device

Adding to an Android device

Marketing your New App

Sun, 01 Mar 2020 23:57:29 GMT

Congratulations on having the foresight and good business sense to integrate an App into your business marketing strategy.

Smart marketers know that smart phones and apps are changing the face of marketing for small businesses. Being able to put your business into your customers’ pocket 24/7 and having the ability to send out unlimited push notifications free of charge is a game changer. Never before have businesses had such a direct means of communicating with, and marketing to, their customers.

And the use of mobile apps is only going to grow.

So, it’s great to see that you’ve embraced the latest digital marketing opportunities and added an app to your business toolkit but what next?

Like all things, it’s no good having an amazing business app if no-one knows about it so your focus now is to ensure that your existing and potential customers know all about it and, more importantly, download it to their phone.

At this point, you should remember the following points:

Mobile apps can increase overall brand exposure and make you more competitive against other businesses in your industry.
Mobile apps can increase foot traffic and revenue for your business, i.e. using push messages to entice customers during quiet periods in the working week.
Mobile apps can help you introduce loyalty schemes such as QR Coupons/ Stamping Card to reward repeat business.

As you can see, your business can benefit from your app in a variety of ways due to the range of features it can offer. But what can you do to ensure that your customers and supporters get it on their phone?

Build hype

An innovative way that you could build anticipation for your app is to “hype” its arrival. You could include a section on your website called “Mobile App - Coming Soon” and detail the type of features that customers can expect (e.g. ordering your food directly through the app). You could also mention the arrival of the new app on promotional literature within the premises, on Facebook/Twitter or even on till receipts for instance.

The whole purpose of this exercise is to build a sense of expectation and interest for the app. Once customers are thinking of or are aware of the app, the easier it is to direct them to download the app when it goes live.

How do I get people to download my app?

The following sections focus on strategies a business can employ to get customers to download their app. We have formulated a number of strategies to achieve this, however it must be stressed that the following is not an exhaustive list.

Advertise your business app

Even the best apps in the world will be useless if no one knows they exist. Don’t let your business fall into this situation by not emphasising the importance of advertising the app. One of the best ways to advertise your business app is to have it displayed on a poster within your business.

Display a large poster in the shop window saying “Download our new app today and receive £5 off your next purchase” or just simply “Our app is now available for download”. It is crucial to build awareness for the app as that will ensure maximum exposure and downloads. In addition you could also run adverts in the local press, on radio and TV, to build awareness for the app.

The key things to remember when advertising the app is to, where possible, incentivise the download. Simply directing customers to download the app will not be as effective as throwing in a free offer to sweeten the experience. This is not always necessary, but our research has shown that by incentivising the download in this way, customers are more likely to engage with the business.

Incentivise the download of your app

Following on from the point above, it is imperative to incentivise the download process for your app. For example, if a customer calls your business to book an appointment/meeting; you could say “download our app today and present this when you visit us to receive £10 off your treatment”. By incentivising the download, you are giving your customers a reason to download the app. You can also offer other incentives such as entering a prize draw for example, to facilitate as many downloads as possible.

It is always worth reminding yourself that incentivising the app download is the most popular way to grab customers’ attention and maximise the amount of downloads possible.

QR codes

Publishing QR codes are a fantastic way for businesses to direct their customers to download their app. QR codes can be displayed on promotional literature such as leaflets, business cards and posters with the aim of getting customers to scan and download.

You could take this a step further and have QR codes printed on till receipts, plastic shopping bags or even on t-shirts that members of staff are wearing. Basically, you should try and make it as easy and simple as you can for your customers to download the app.

Your employees

Business employees are a cost effective and sure fire way to build awareness for the app. Since employees communicate with customers on a daily basis, it makes perfect business sense for them to promote your app. For example, try to ensure employees mention the app and potential discounts they could receive today if they download the app.

Your business has daily opportunities to get customers downloading your app as long as you are creative with your awareness strategy.

Social Media

Social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are fantastic for increasing your profile and exposure amongst customers. However, it also serves as a powerful medium to building awareness for your app.

You could run a Facebook competition whereby every person that downloads your app is entered into a prize draw to win a free prize. You could take this a step further by publicising this on Twitter and redirecting customers to your Facebook page.

Other activities could include things such as updating your Facebook status or tweeting on Twitter each time you update your app. By initiating these strategies, you will always maintain a prominent social media profile amongst your target audience.

Newsletters

Newsletters are a great way for you to promote your app to customers. By promoting your app through newsletters, you can build awareness and also include links for downloading the app. Again, incentivise the download by mentioning special offers/ prize draws for customers who download the app. Your aim here is to ensure that the app should retain high visibility in all marketing/promotional activities.

Text messaging

Do you have a database of stored customer telephone numbers that you have gathered through previous marketing initiatives? If the answer is yes, utilise this powerful medium by sending out a text message containing a link to download the app. Ensure that you add a free loyalty voucher or discount code to maximise the download rate.

Once customers have downloaded the app, you can effectively save money by utilising the power of push notifications to promote special offers/events. We can’t emphasise strongly enough the cost savings generated by free, unlimited push messages over traditional text message marketing.

Website visibility

Using your website and social media channels (Facebook, Twitter etc.) for promoting your app are essential. It is imperative that you reserve some space on your website to promote your new app. Include app download links on the homepage of your website and direct as much traffic as possible to take advantage of this app.

As mentioned with other elements within this section, these strategies should be used in conjunction with incentives so that customers have a reason for downloading the app and engaging with your business.

Run campaigns with other businesses

It is always worth trying to think outside the box when faced with the dilemma of getting customers to download your app. If there is a business in a similar industry with significant downloads, pay them a small fee to send out a push notification to their users advertising your app. This is an excellent referral technique as it opens up your app downloads to customers that are already mobile and comfortable with downloading/using apps.

Positive reviews of your app

Another fantastic way to add credibility to your business app is to use the power of testimonials. Nothing is more positive for your app than a whole host of positive recommendations and testimonials for your app. As soon as your customers download your app, incentivise them to leave a positive review, either on the app, on your social media channels or the app stores themselves (for native apps).

The advantage of this to your business is twofold. Firstly, positive testimonials will generate more credibility and encourage more customers to download your app. The more customers that have downloaded your app, the more engagement you can have with your customer base. Secondly, positive reviews will help place your app higher in the search listings which will make it easier for customers to find your app. Rather than search through dozens of search results to find your app, your customers will find it relatively easy to locate exactly what they are looking for.

The key thing to remember with your business app is to make it as quick and easy for your customers to locate your app. The harder it is for your customers to find your app, the less likely they will be to proceed with the download.

How to increase your social profile by leveraging your app

An app is a fantastic way for you to increase your social media profile and leverage your app. In the modern world, consumers are technologically savvy and judge a business based on their social media profile.

With that being said, it’s critically important that you keep your social profile updated and create a buzz around your business. Publicise any special offers and events on Facebook and get customers to comment/”like” your Facebook page directly through the app. You could even offer customers a discount when they visit your business premises if they “like” their Facebook page before paying for items. This will ensure that your social profile remains high and also increases the chances of customers referring your business to family and friends.

Twitter is another way that you can leverage your app and increase your social profile. Since the app allows customers to follow tweets directly through the app, tweet about upcoming events or promotions. This in turn will generate re-tweets from customers and allow them to engage with your business.

Blogs are another way that you can increase your social profile via the app. For example, the blogs you produce can be integrated within the app. This then allows your customers to access this information directly through the app and leave comments. By doing this, you are giving customers a reason to interact with your business and keep it at the front of their mind.

Establishing an up to date YouTube channel is another powerful method of increasing your social profile. For instance, if you organised a special event, why not upload the video to YouTube and get customers talking/commenting on the video. This is a great way for you to get customers commenting on content directly through the app.

Another area you should consider is Flickr and the benefits this has for leveraging your app. Images of your venue/events can be used to populate Flickr galleries and get customers viewing and commenting.

By employing some of the techniques mentioned above, you can transform your app into a powerful social media tool that can be utilised to create a buzz around your business. The key thing to remember is that the app facilitates interaction between your business and your customer base.

Using the QR Coupon effectively

QR coupons are a brilliant way for you to reward loyal customers. You should focus your attention on utilising QR coupons to offer special deals or give more information about a product for instance. By utilising QR coupons, you are encouraging customers to visit your business and to unlock deals and therefore increasing foot traffic.

When using QR coupons you should display these in prominent locations within the business. Some ideas to get you started include keeping the QR coupon behind the counter and offering customers the chance to scan them when they are about to complete the transaction. Moreover, you could display QR coupons on promotional literature to give more information about products or even on the clothing of employees (e.g. t-shirts) for instance.

QR coupons are seen as a fun way for customers to interact with your business and provide a good source of word of mouth testimonials. If you generally offer deals then QR coupons are a great way to incorporate this in a fun and engaging manner.

Promoting your app in the media

Advising your app through the media is another powerful technique in building awareness. For example, you could advertise in the local newspaper. Within this advert include a QR code which directs readers to download the app.

If you advertise on local radio/TV then include your app within this. By making the app visible on every place where your business name is advertised, you can guarantee maximum exposure for your app.

Another interesting way to promote your app is by sponsoring a local sporting team or charity for instance. Linking your business to a good cause is an excellent way to build a positive image of your business and encourage more awareness for the app.

There are a variety of ways that the app can be promoted in the media, with the above just being a few ideas to get you started. As long as you focus on generating positive publicity for your business and app, you should ensure that your business has significant exposure in the local community.

Guidelines on push notifications

Push notifications is the crown jewel amongst your arsenal of features contained within your app. Push notifications/ messages essentially allow you to contact your customers quickly, effectively and most importantly – cost free.

In the past you may have engaged in text message marketing to raise awareness for your business/ products/services or special events. The major drawback of text message marketing is the cost involved- often as much as 3-4p per message. So if you have a database of 10,000 customers that you would usually target with text message marketing, the cost involved could range from £300-£400 per campaign.

The alternative is push notifications, which are simple and unlimited, incurring no cost. The real beauty of push messages is the fact that they allow you to send out special offers, promote special events or even direct traffic to your business during quiet periods in the working week. Push messages can also be adapted to include loyalty codes that encourage customers to visit your business and take advantage of discounts.

The cost savings from push messages alone for the average business can pay for the cost of an app for an entire year. This is a crucial feature within your app and you should aim to use push messages on a regular basis to maintain your business profile.

Push messages are also very simple to send out from the client dashboard/platform and can be scheduled in advance or sent instantly. This really allows you to have total flexibility when interacting with customers that have downloaded the app.

Looking into the future, push messages will be seen as the primary method for mobile marketing on the move. Indeed, research already shows that people are more receptive to getting value from businesses through their phone.

Once you truly understand and appreciate the true power of push notifications, your app will then be the centre of all your marketing activities.

Using offers to encourage downloads

Offers are a great way for you to encourage downloads of your app, as they incentivise the process. As mentioned earlier in this document, you could offer discounts on the final bill if a customer downloads the app whilst still in the premises and presents this at the till.

Alternatively, you could also run monthly prize draws directly through the app and encourage customers to download the app and enter for free. The benefit of using offers to encourage downloads is that the customer is essentially receiving something (discount, prize etc.) from your business for free.

Another way that you could use offers to encourage downloads is to reward customers that refer a friend. For example, you could offer existing customers a discount/entry into a competition if they refer a friend to download the app.

Using printed materials and leaflets to promote your app

Printed materials and leaflets are a good method for promoting your app. A simple mail drop to customers around the vicinity of your business can prove to be a useful strategy to obtaining downloads. Ensuring that the app is contained within any leaflets for instance, should build awareness for your app.

As mentioned throughout this document, the amount of promotion and the level of customer downloads of the app will correlate with the incentives offered by your business. If you devise clever offers and rewards for downloading the app, you should achieve a significant number of app downloads within the first few months of the app going live.

By having a significant number of downloads, your business can then utilise powerful functions such as push messages and loyalty schemes to increase profitability and build your brand.

Summary

As this document has illustrated, your role is crucial in effectively marketing your business app to your customers. By employing some of the strategies outlined in this document, you can ensure that your app has the best possible chance of maximising app downloads.

This document is by no means exhaustive; it is purely there to act as a reference point to give you some ideas when dealing with your customers. We are, of course, happy to offer further advice and wish you all the very best in using your app to transform your business.

Good Luck.

Ideas to help boost App Downloads

Sun, 26 Jan 2020 23:57:29 GMT

Great - you've got your lovely app up and running so what next? Well, an app is only useful if it's downloaded on people's phones so here's a few things you can do to help increase app downloads...

In 2019, there were over 4 million apps on Google Play and nearly 2 million apps on the iOS App Store (and still counting). So if you’re sitting around hoping app users will magically download your app, think again. Like any marketing for your business you need to be pro-active in encouraging and incentivising users to download the app.

These mobile app marketing ideas have been tried and proven so if you invest your time to follow them, you will have a significant increase in a number of downloads than you have now.

1. Use your website

If you’re asking “where do I promote my app?”, then your website is the first place you should think of because it’s a total “zero budge campaign” and you already have your visitors. Your app needs to be featured across your website with QR codes for downloading and links to App stores (if applicable).

Make sure you have a clear “Get the App” Call to Action with details on how to download it too. You can design a landing page exclusively for the app or use a banner display whenever someone visits your site.

Here's some examples of adverts/pages on web sites encouraging people to download their app...

2. Share Across Social Media

Using your Business and Personal Social Media for mobile app promotion is pretty much a must. Don’t forget to update your social media with posts/posters/banners that promote your new app like Twitter Header Image or your Facebook Cover Photo.

You can also run some really targets Facebook ads and 'boost posts' to put your promotion in front of people targeted potential customers. See some social media examples here...

3. Feature The App in Your Emails

Any emails sent to your customers even it’s a support follow up, newsletter, payment confirmation or Ads should include a link/code to advertise and download your app. You can also put the download link and QR code in your email signature. Provide them with useful and valuable information so they will ultimately be more inclined to download your app.

4. App Marketing Made Easy with a Demo Video

With only a few screenshots of your app, you are not really impressing users by what the app features can really do. Creating a video needs not be a fancy one, it could simply be a record of you using and explaining to your customers the functions and why it’s worth their downloads. The Video should be uploaded not only on your Facebook but also on any video channels such as Vimeo, Youtube,… to spread it to the masses.

5. Add details on your business cards

Your business cards are a marketing tool for your business so always make sure that you've included details on how to download and install your app.

If you have a retail outlet make sure you have these handy at the point to sale and incentivise staff to make sure they encourage customers to download.

Conclusion

As you can see, with no or even little budget, there are always ways to market your mobile app. The more you promote it and also provide incentives for people to download the app the more success you will achieve.

Follow the top 5 proven app marketing ideas above and find out which one works best for you.